Supporting the New Women’s and Children’s Hospital ICT Program

Understanding Future OPEX Costs

When the Women’s and Children’s Health Network (WCHN) began planning for its new hospital, one of the pressing challenges was understanding what it would cost to run the new facility, particularly in relation to the newly scoped information and communications technologies (ICT). With a complex service model and evolving digital infrastructure, WCHN needed a clear, strategic view of future ICT operational costs.

Think Human partnered with the New WCHN Project team to co-design a robust Operational Expenditure (OPEX) model for new technologies. Through engagement with clinical, digital, and executive stakeholders, combined with our own experiences, we mapped service delivery assumptions, modelled cost scenarios, and aligned financial planning with the hospital’s broader strategic goals.

This resulted in a transparent, evidence-based OPEX model that gives WCHN clarity and confidence on a number of scenarios for ICT future costs. It enables the organisation to articulate future funding needs with precision, strengthening its position in negotiations with government and partners. The model also ensures alignment with digital and clinical strategies, setting the hospital up for operational readiness from day one.

This was a human-centred strategy project that delivered clarity, alignment, and momentum—exactly what’s needed to bring a new hospital to life.

“The Think Human team were incredibly valuable in developing an ICT operational expenditure budget for the new women’s and children’s hospital. Their wealth of experience in SA Health along with their financial acumen provided a very high-quality result. Their professionalism and commitment to timeframes were outstanding.”

Rod Sprenger, Director ICT Program, New WCHN Project